KWAME NKRUMAH CONTINUES TO INSPIRE US AND WE WISH TO EMULATE HIS EXAMPLE I attended Hon. Prof. Mike Ocquaye’s lecture on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the NPP in the spirit of national unity. Ours is a mature democracy where I deem it my duty as Chairman and Leader of the CPP to show respect to all political parties irrespective of our different political orientations. I have great respect for Prof. Ocquaye who I remember addressing me during my time in Parliament as “my sister.” However, contrary to his opinion, I firmly believe that the founder of modern Ghana is Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Many figures have played important roles in the independence struggle, but Nkrumah was the catalyst who speeded up the whole process. From all the history we have read he was more in tune with what the people of the Gold Coast expected from their leaders and that is why they followed him and supported his vision for freedom. Beyond political independence, Nkrumah was the main architect of Ghana’s process of nation building. Nkrumah’s vision for our national cohesion was instrumental in leading up to the unity of the Gold Coast which was made up of four different territories under British protectorate. Nkrumah’s efforts culminated in the 1956 Plebiscite which resulted in the British Togoland joining forces with the Ashanti, Northern and Coastal territories to form modern Ghana. Without Nkrumah, Ghana today would exist in another form, smaller and fragmented. There are other instances of how Nkrumah’s ideas for a unitary rather than a federated Ghana triumphed. Moreover, Nkrumah was instrumental in laying the foundation for modern Ghana as a nation. His achievements speak for themselves: the hundreds of enterprises and industries to industrialize, Tema harbor and city, the Volta River Project, which till today gives Ghana more than 50 per cent of our power supply, all made Ghana what it is today. The free and compulsory education produced a proficient workforce that made Ghana proud. Nkrumah’s vision of Pan-Africanism projected Ghana as a force in international affairs. We helped African liberation movements in their own struggles for independence and we linked up with Asian and Latin American countries to give the people of the South of the world greater influence and contribute to world peace. Nkrumah’s vision is what gave Ghana it’s distinctive reputation and character that made and still makes us all proud. Today, what Ghana needs more than anything else are honest politicians with a vision for rapid development who put the interests of the people ahead of all other considerations. I believe the debate about who is Ghana’s founder is diversionary and unnecessary at this point in time. Let us focus on issues that will impact on the lives of Ghanaians in a positive manner and on how quickly we can deliver the basic needs to our people.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 19:56:03 +0000
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